The Spatial Politics and Political Economy of Alternative Food Networks in Post-Soviet Latvia and Lithuania

Abstract

Spurred by consumer demand and activism, local food systems are gaining increasing prominence as a policy tool to foster sustainability. This development has been buttressed by academic findings that suggest that a component of local food systems, alternative food networks (or direct-to-consumer markets), have beneficial impacts on farmer livelihoods because they provide farmers with added value and premium prices. In this dissertation, I examine alternative food networks in Latvia and Lithuania and I analyze how involvement in these networks has impacted the livelihoods of participating farmers. According to my findings, participation in alternative food networks has led to a variety of livelihood outcomes for farmers. To explain why some farmers have had successful livelihood outcomes by participating in alternative food networks and others have not, I draw upon theoretical perspectives from geography, agrarian political economy and feminist studies. I argue that farmer livelihoods must be examined as constituting and constituted by their sociospatial context. To provide a framework for this kind of examination, I modify the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach by integrating spatial concepts. This modified framework is a potential resource for scholars and policy-makers who recognize that achieving a sustainable local food system also entails ensuring a sustainable livelihood for the farmers involved.